Idaho’s Ted Hagler and Arizona’s Lorenzo Carbajal won the #9 Ariat World Series of Team Roping Finale after roping four head in 32.78 seconds, worth $350,000.

“I wasn’t feeling anything,” Carbajal said. “I was just going to go catch another one.”

Hagler and Carbajal roped the fastest run of the short round with a 7.17-second-run to move them into first in the average. 

“He put him right there in front of me and my horse put me in a good spot,” Carbajal said. “I said let’s take it.”

Hagler, manager at Micron Technology, headed on his wife’s horse Charlie who he decided to ride just before the roping.

“I switched right before I rode in,” Hagler said. “My horse was hesitating to run up the cattle.”

Carbajal, who rides and trains horses, borrowed Hooey, 8, who he sold to his friend Jimmy Jensen just a year ago.

“When I sold him to Jimmy he gave me some money and another horse,” Carbajal said. Now I’ve got to buy him back. He told me, ‘if you want to buy him back I’ll sell him back to you.’”

Hagler and Carbajal started their Vegas trip roping in the outdoor pen at the Matthews Land and Cattle roping, where Carbajal missed. 

“I figured I got the miss out of the way,” Carbajal said. “I’m coming in to rope now,”

Hagler made it to the short round of the #9 Finale two years ago, coming off a long hiatus in the sport to focus on his career. 

“I quit roping for 29 years, then four or five years ago I jumped back in,” Hagler said. “I was fortunate to make the short go in the #9 two years ago and finished in the top 10. My wife’s family roped all the time. We had people in our family who did it, too. I figured we’ll just keep working at it.”

Hagler and Carbajal made a game plan before coming to the Finale to help them get through four tough rounds.

“I mean I’m a little anal,” Hagler laughed. “Every time I make a run I try to get a video and watch it. The idea was to stick to the game plan which was to take one cow at a time. When I was here last time I kind of got hung up in the big jackpot, so the plan was to rope the best we can. It’s also important to have four good cows. It all came together.”

Hagler says that his share of the winnings is going to go right back into his roping and buying a few more horses. Carbajal’s share is going to be going toward a different kind of horse.

“I’m going to buy myself a truck,” Carbajal said. “Two month ago my truck blew up on me. I had to haul my buddie’s horse up here so I drove his truck which worked out for me.” TRJ